It was April of 1861, South Carolina and several other states had succeeded since the election of President Abraham Lincoln. but at a frontier outpost in the far west, some hostilities had already begun, out of anxiousness and nervousness, and also the threat of the Sioux Indians under Chief Fire Bear, they had been promised 1000 dollars in gold to sign the peace treaty. Two troopers would have to do what they could not make sure to keep the peace within the ranks of the men of Fort Bow between North and South.

A wagon was passing on the trail with the mail and news for Fort Bow, when a small band of Sioux Warriors attacked the wagon, the driver was killed and the man riding shotgun got under it and fired on the warriors. Then, the sound of a bugle filled the air, Company B of the 22nd Cavalry out of Fort Bow charged against the band with sabers and pistols.

Bugler: *Charge*

The cavalrymen slashed and shot at the warriors, Sgt Chesterfield was pulled off his horse and was fist fighting the sioux warrior, but managed to hit him over the head with his own tomahawk, Blutch shot the horse of a sioux warrior out from under them, soon the warriors were on the run, but they got one of the troopers.

Capt Tanner: "Sergeant, recall our men, we'll escort the wagon the rest of the way."

Sgt Chesterfield (Saluting): "Yes sir, BUGLER, SOUND RECALL!"

Bugler: *Recall*

The men rode back to the fort with the body of the fallen trooper bringing up the rear, to be buried outside the fort, they rode into the fort gates and past Col Appletown's office and he saw that they had been in action, one of his orderlies was outside with the head Indian scout ThunderBird.

Orderly: "They've been in action."

Thunderbird: "A pity, they waste bullets on the Indians, soon they will need the bullets to kill each other." Thunderbird was one of the reasons everything was uneasy at Fort Bow, he ran his mouth off when he didn't need to and no one could tell whose side he was on, the Army, or the Sioux. The company formed up in a line to prepare to be dismissed from the detail.

Capt Tanner: "Sergeant, dismiss the command."

Tripps: "Question sir."

Capt Tanner: "Yes, what is it?"

Tripps: "Is there any news from back east in that mail pouch sir, we've been worried about the, the situation sir." After that question, the men started looking at eachother and then looked back at the Captain for an answer.

Capt Tanner: "Your commanding officer will open the mail pouch and he will inform you of anything, and this is the army, not congress, Sergeant dismiss the men."

Sgt Chesterfield: "Company, Dismissed."

The men dismounted and walked their horses to the stables, but Sgt Chesterfield and Cpl Blutch started talking.

Cpl Blutch: "Hey Sarge, do you think anything will happen back east?"

Sgt Chesterfield: "I don't know, I hope it doesn't, we'll be in the frontline fighting I assure you."

Cpl Blutch: "What about Tripps, he's southern born."

Sgt Chesterfield: "I don't know who he'll fight for, but let's not think about it right now." They continued to the stables with their horses, while Capt Tanner walked over to the Colonel's office, but he was stopped by Thunderbird.

Thunderbird: "Another great victory, eh Capt Tanner?"

Capt Tanner: "We saved the mail Thunderbird, the Sioux haven't attacked a wagon in a while, did they think the gold was in this wagon?"

Thunderbird: "Shall I ask the prisoners?"

Capt Tanner: "We took no prisoners." He continued to the Colonel's office.

Sgt Chesterfield and Cpl Blutch were watering their horses when Southern Sergeant Henry Slocum and Northern Sergeant James Cooper were talking about the breakout of hostilities back east.

Trooper Caswell: "As far as we know, the shooting's already started back home."

Sgt Slocum: "You don't know, let's leave it at that."

Sgt Cooper (Smugly): "Yeah, sure hate to tear up those pretty southern states of your."

Sgt Chesterfield and Cpl Blutch shook their heads in unison, they knew what Cooper was getting into, and that Slocum would gladly accommodate him.

Sgt Slocum: "What are you getting at Coo..."

Lt Walker: "SERGEANT SLOCUM!" The men snapped to attention when they heard the Lieutenant speak. "I want a burial detail outside the gates, NOW." Slocum got a detail together, got some pickaxes and shovels, and went outside to bury their fallen comrade.

Meanwhile

Col Appletown: "Are you sure it was Fire Bear Captain?"

Capt Tanner: "His warriors sir, most likely going after the gold."

Col Appletown: "Why, we'll be giving it to him in a week."

Capt Tanner: "For, ethical reasons I guess."

Col Appletown: "A strange code of ethics."

Capt Tanner: "He know's if he gets the gold, he won't be able to fight you for one year without breaking his word, stealing it, he can fight and keep his honor."

Col Appletown: "Yes you're right, but the gold has already left Fort Sedgwick and will it'll be your job to protect it, now I'll inform you of the time and... Place."

Capt Tanner: "Yes sir, oh, is there any news from the east?"

Col Appletown: "That's all Captain, and please tell Thunderbird I want to see him." The Captain saluted the Colonel and left his office, there was news from the east, in the St Joseph Missouri Tribune it said in bold letters

SOUTH INAUGURATES DAVIS

Those three words fell into Col Appletown's heart like a bomb, now the south had elected a president for their Confederate States of America, and he knew there might be a conflict, even if he prayed for there not to be one.

Just then, Thunderbird walked into the Colonel's office, just as he was looking at his map of the United States.

Thunderbird: "At your service sir."

Col Appletown: "I want a message delivered to Fire Bear."

Thunderbird: "Yes sir." he looked at the newspaper and read the Bold Black words, he smirked for a second just as the Colonel turned around.

Col Appletown: "Tell him that the attack today upset me greatly, and that the warriors responsible must be punished."

Thunderbird: "But sir, I deliver that message, he'll roast me over a fire, no more Thunderbird."

Col Appletown: "Nonetheless, I want the message delivered."

Thunderbird: "Then maybe you'll have two wars on your ha..."

Col Appletown: "There'll be no war between the states."

Thunderbird: "Yes sir." he walked out and went to prepare his horse, but Cpl Blutch was listening to both the Colonel's conversation with Thunderbird, and he rushed to tell the Sergeant.

Cpl Blutch: "SARGE, SARGE!"

Sgt Chesterfield: "Whoa, Blutch, calm down, what's got you fired up?"

Cpl Blutch: "I just overheard the Colonel and Thunderbird talking, apparently, the South has Inaugurated Davis as their President."

Sgt Chesterfield was in shock, the last thing he wanted to hear was that the south had formed a new government and had elected a president, who was also a former Secretary of War.

Meanwhile

The burial detail was digging outside in the fort and were talking.

Trooper Caswell: "I think we should something for Trooper Haskell's wife."

Sgt Slocum: "Well, I have a half a month's pay I don't know what to do with."

Some of the others agreed to pitch in just as Thunderbird passed by on his horse.

Trooper Caswell: "Well, if it ain't the noble savage, where are you heading today Thunderbird?"

Thunderbird: "I go to see Fire Bear, maybe you come with me."

Trooper Caswell: "Me, oh no, I don't have enough Indian blood."

Thunderbird: "No, you are a gentleman of of the south, and you Sergeant, you come from South Carolina, do you not."

Sgt Slocum: "What are you getting at Thunderbird?"

Thunderbird: "You have a new president, a man called, Davis." and he rode off to talk with Fire Bear.

Trooper Caswell: "YAHOO! Old man Jeff Davis will show um what for."

Sgt Cooper: "Until President Lincoln get's that renegade."

Trooper Caswell: "YOU AIN'T CALLIN HIM NO RENEGADE!" He was about to get in Cooper's face when Sgt Slocum stepped in.

Sgt Slocum: "What are you getting at Coop?"

Sgt Cooper: "I always thought a company of Union troops should see inside your rebel gut..." He was interrupted by a punch to the face by Slocum, he lunged at Cooper, but Cooper got out of the way and grabbed a shovel. He swung at Slocum but he managed to dodge it, Slocum jumped to grab a pickaxe and attempted a blow at Cooper, but he missed, Cooper threw away the Shovel and grabbed the Pickaxe, he and Slocum were fighting over it when Capt Tanner, Lt Walker, Sgt Chesterfield and Cpl Blutch ran outside.

Capt Tanner: "CORPORAL OF THE GUARD!" He ran towards the men, grabbed the pickaxe, and threw it to the ground separating them from fighting each other. "Now, who started this."

Sgt Cooper: "The south sir, as always."

Sgt Slocum: "AND WE'LL FINISH IT!"

Capt Tanner: "YOU'RE AT ATTENTION, Sergeant's Cooper and Slocum, you're both under arrest until further notice, SGT CHESTERFIELD, CPL BLUTCH, FRONT AND CENTER!"

Sgt Chesterfield: "Yes sir?"

Capt Tanner: "You and the Corporal will escort theses men to the guardhouse, and they will remain there until further notice."

Sgt Chesterfield (Saluting): "Yes sir."

After they put the two men in separate cells, Sgt Chesterfield and Cpl Blutch started talking again.

Cpl Blutch: "What are we gonna do, it starts with a fist fight, then we'll end up shooting each other on the parade ground."

Sgt Chesterfield: "Well, I guess it's up to us to try and keep the peace as best we can."

Cpl Blutch: "Just the two of us."

Sgt Chesterfield: "Now that the Southerners know about Jefferson Davis being inaugurated, they'll try to come up with a plan to head south and join the southern army maybe, if anything happens that a war breaks out."

Cpl Blutch: "I feel something is just gonna blow up in our faces when we least expect it."

Later that Evening

The Sergeant and Corporal were preparing for the dance by putting on their dress uniforms and special Cavalry Hardee Hats with black feathers in them.

Cpl Blutch (Smirking): "Gee Sarge, what are you planning tonight that your getting all fancy."

Sgt Chesterfield: "None of your business blockhead."

Cpl Blutch: "Are you gonna attempt to dance with Amelia?"

Sgt Chesterfield (Lightly Blushing): "Well um, LOOK BLUTCH IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"

Cpl Blutch (Chuckling): "Okay, okay, I get it."

The Parade Ground was light up and made into a dancefloor, some of the men were at the refreshment table while others (Mostly Officers) were dancing. Col Appletown was dancing with his Daughter when Sgt Chesterfield decided this was his chance.

Sgt Chesterfield: "May I cut in Sir?"

Col Appletown: "Certainly Sergeant, thank you Amelia."

Now Sgt Chesterfield and Amelia Appletown were dancing, but the Sergeant was nervous about doing something foolish, and Amelia could notice this.

Amelia: "Sergeant, is there something wrong."

Sgt Chesterfield (Nervously): "Huh, oh, no, no Miss Appletown, nothing at all."

Amelia (Giggling): "You can call me Amelia, Sergeant, or is it Cornelius." The Sergeant blushed and put on a bashful smile, implying a yes, Blutch was watching from the Refreshment table with Bryan and Tripps and he shook his head with a smile.

Cpl Blutch: "Huh, looks like the old Sergeant managed to pull it off."

Bryan: "Yeah, but what about the states, tensions are growing between them each minute."

Tripps: "Yeah, soon we have to ask ourselves what side were on and who to fight for."

Cpl Blutch: "Have you decided Tripps?"

Tripps: *Sigh* "I love my home state of Georgia, but I love my country just as much, I don't know what I'm gonna do."

Just then the gates opened, a pony express rider came rushing in, the news looked urgent, so Col Appletown went to get it, he read the news and then went onto the platform where the band was playing.

Col Appletown: "Ladies and Gentlemen, I have an announcement to make, it might come as a bit of a shock to you all. Ladies and Gentlemen, as Commandant of Fort Bow, it is my duty to inform you of this, Fort Sumter has been fired upon." A large gasp came from the attendee's of the dance, they couldn't believe what they were hearing. "President Lincoln has called, for immediate military intervention."